The present invention relates generally to book forming and, more particularly, to a system for forming fold-lines in a book cover prior to binding of a book block with the book cover.
In making a book, a book block (i.e., a plurality of sheets of paper) is typically bound with a book cover by a book binder. The book block includes a body of the book having, for example, a table of contents, text, index, etc. Typically, the book cover is one sheet or piece of material cut to a desired size and includes a front cover, a back cover, and a cover spine provided between the front cover and the back cover.
With a conventional book forming system, the book cover is positioned in a book binder and the book block is positioned relative to the book cover such that a spine of the book block is bound with the cover spine of the book cover. As such, the front cover and the rear cover are openable relative to the cover spine. To facilitate opening of the front cover and/or the back cover relative to the cover spine, fold-lines can be provided in the book cover along lateral edges of the cover spine. Unfortunately, conventional systems for forming fold-lines in the book cover are often very complex and not easily reconfigured for processing differing book covers.
Accordingly, a need exists for efficiently forming scorelines in a book cover prior to binding of a book block with the book cover such that precise fold-lines are provided along lateral edges of the cover spine.
One aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for forming scorelines in a book cover. The apparatus includes a pair of scoring counter-bars and a pair of scoring tools. Each the scoring counter-bars have a longitudinal axis and a first surface substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis. Each of the scoring counter-bars include a first longitudinal indentation provided in the first surface thereof and each of the scoring tools include a scoring protrusion provided thereon. As such, the scoring protrusion of one of the scoring tools is adapted to engage the first longitudinal indentation of an associated one of the scoring counter-bars.
In one embodiment, the pair of scoring tools includes a pair of scoring wheels. As such, the scoring protrusion of each of the scoring tools is a circumferential scoring protrusion. In one embodiment, the pair of scoring tools includes a pair of scoring bars. As such, the scoring protrusion of each of the scoring tools is a longitudinal scoring protrusion.
In one embodiment, each of the scoring counter-bars includes a longitudinal protrusion provided on the first surface thereof and each of the scoring tools includes a scoring indentation provided therein. As such, the scoring indentation of the one of the scoring tools is adapted to receive the longitudinal protrusion of the associated one of the scoring counter-bars.
In one embodiment, each of the scoring counter-bars have a second surface substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis thereof. As such, each of the scoring counter-bars include a second longitudinal indentation provided in the second surface thereof and a longitudinal protrusion provided on the second surface thereof. In addition, each of the scoring tools includes a scoring indentation provided therein. Thus, the scoring indentation of the one of the scoring tools is adapted to receive the longitudinal protrusion of the associated one of the scoring counter-bars and the scoring protrusion of the one of the scoring tools is adapted to engage the second longitudinal indentation of the associated one of the scoring counter-bars.
In addition, in one embodiment, the second surface of each of the scoring counter-bars is substantially perpendicular to the first surface thereof and each of the scoring counter-bars is rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof. More specifically, each of the scoring counter-bars is rotatable between a first position which facilitates engagement of the first longitudinal indentation of one of the scoring counter-bars by the scoring protrusion of an associated one of the scoring tools and a second position which facilitates engagement of the second longitudinal indentation of the one of the scoring counter-bars by the scoring protrusion of the associated one of the scoring tools.
Furthermore, in one embodiment, the pair of scoring tools includes a pair of scoring wheels. As such, the scoring protrusion of each of the scoring tools is a circumferential scoring protrusion and the scoring indentation of each of the scoring tools is a circumferential scoring indentation. In one embodiment, the pair of scoring tools includes a pair of scoring bars. As such, the scoring protrusion of each of the scoring tools is a longitudinal scoring protrusion and the scoring indentation of each of the scoring tools is a longitudinal scoring indentation.
In one embodiment, at least one of the scoring counter-bars and an associated one of the scoring tools are jointly adjustable laterally. In one embodiment, a first of the scoring counter-bars and an associated one of the scoring tools are jointly adjustable laterally in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first of the scoring counter-bars, and a second of the scoring counter-bars and an associated one of the scoring tools are jointly adjustable laterally in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the second of the scoring counter-bars, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.
In one embodiment, one of the scoring counter-bars and an associated one of the scoring tools are spaced a predetermined distance from another of the scoring counter-bars and an associated one of the scoring tools based on a thickness of a book block adapted to be bound with the book cover.
In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes a controller which controls the scoring counter-bars and the scoring tools.
Another aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for forming scorelines in a book cover. The apparatus includes a pair of scoring counter-bars and a pair of scoring tools. Each of the scoring counter-bars have a longitudinal axis and a first surface substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis. Each of the scoring counter-bars include a first indentation provided in the first surface thereof and a first protrusion provided on the first surface thereof, wherein the first indentation and the first protrusion of each of the scoring counter-bars extends longitudinally along the first surface thereof substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis thereof. In addition, each of the scoring tools include a scoring protrusion adapted to engage the first indentation of an associated one of the scoring counter-bars and a scoring indentation adapted to receive the first protrusion of the associated one of the scoring counter-bars.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of preparing a book cover prior to binding of a book block with the book cover. The method includes the steps of providing a pair of scoring counter-bars and a pair of scoring tools, establishing a thickness of the book block, spacing the pair of scoring counter-bars and the pair of scoring tools based on the established thickness of the book block, positioning the book cover between the pair of scoring counter-bars and the pair of scoring tools, and applying pressure to the book cover from the pair of scoring counter-bars and the pair of scoring tools to form a first pair of scorelines in the book cover.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a system for producing a book on-demand. The system includes a processing system adapted to receive and process a book request for the book, a book block preparation system which prepares a book block of the book in response to a book body preparation command of the processing system, a book cover preparation system which prepares a book cover of the book in response to a book cover preparation command of the processing system, and a book finishing system which assembles the book block and the book cover to form the book. In one embodiment, the book cover preparation system includes a pair of scoring counter-bars and a pair of scoring tools. Each the scoring counter-bars have a longitudinal axis and a first surface substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis. Each of the scoring counter-bars include a first longitudinal indentation provided in the first surface thereof and each of the scoring tools include a scoring protrusion provided thereon. As such, the scoring protrusion of one of the scoring tools is adapted to engage the first longitudinal indentation of an associated one of the scoring counter-bars.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a method of producing a book on-demand. The method includes the steps of receiving and processing a book request for the book, preparing a book block of the book in response to a book body preparation command of the processing system, preparing a book cover of the book in response to a book cover preparation command of the processing system, and assembling the book block and the book cover to form the book. In one embodiment, the step of preparing the book cover includes the steps of providing a pair of scoring counter-bars and a pair of scoring tools, establishing a thickness of the book block, spacing the pair of scoring counter-bars and the pair of scoring tools based on the established thickness of the book block, positioning the book cover between the pair of scoring counter-bars and the pair of scoring tools, and applying pressure to the book cover from the pair of scoring counter-bars and the pair of scoring tools to form a first pair of scorelines in the book cover.
The present invention provides a system for forming scorelines in a book cover prior to binding of a book block with the book cover. As such, precise fold-lines are provided along lateral edges of a cover spine of the book cover.